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N B. EVELAN D.

Sewing-Machine Shuttle.

No. 78,944. v Patented June 16, 1868.

NIPEI'ERS, FHOTD-LJIHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

NELSON B. EVELAND, OF HARTFORD,- CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 78,944, dated JunefIG, 1868 IMPROVEMENT IN SHUTTLEres SEWING-MACHINES,

tilgtfirigihnle month in in that Etttters hated unthinking part nt 11;:time.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: p I

Be itkno'wn that I, Names 3. EVELAND', of Hartford, in the State ofConnecticut, have invented an Improve went in Sewing-Machine; and dohereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawingswhich accompany and form part of this specification, is a description ofmy inventionsuflicient to enable those skilled in the art to practiseit.

In sewing-machine shuttles, as ordinarily constructed, there is a seriesof small holes, through which the thread is laced for the purpose ofgiving the requisite degree of tension, and from which it is thenbrought out through one of the forward holes nearest the shuttle-point,whence it'passes, in sewing, direct to the point ofjtsconnection orinterlacing with the needle-thread.

In consequence of this plan of conveying the thread from theshut tie,imperfect stitching frequently occurs,- which mars the uniformity andbeauty of the work; this imperfection arising from what are called crossor twist? stitches. I

Such 'cross or tWisW-stitches are made whenever the shuttle-thread, fromany cause, is not properly brought to its true line or positionrelatively to the needle,so that the, needle, in its next descent, shallpass on the'proper side of it, the effect of such action-being that theshuttle-thread passes partially around the needle-thread, as well asthrough its loop, the latter only being all that it is desired orrequired to do tomake the well-known and deservedly'popular lock-stitch.i

The reason of this liability to cross" is due to the fact that theamount of thread let out, that is, the

'uinonn't reaching from the cloth to the hole, whence it leaves theshuttle, is so great, when the shuttle is in its ex treme forwardposition inthe race, that unless the thread be unusually stifi',ithas'no tendency, when the shuttie commences to return,to move back tothe rear side of the slot'in the shuttle-racebcfore the needle descends,the consequence being that the point of the needle enters the cloth onthe backinste ad of the front side of the shuttle-thread, and hence thecross. v

To avoid this diflicnlty alight spring hassometimes been placed on thetop of the shuttle, underneath which the thread is passed; but theobjections to this remedyare that the spring is very liable to get bentand be troublesome, and also is apt to get broken, whilst its action isalso unccrtainp t By my improvement I dispense with any spring or otherdevice usually added to the shuttle, and accomplish with certainty theend desired, by a'simple slot, curved at its end which is nearest theheel of the shuttle. 'In the drawing, a represents the shuttle, b theusual tension-holes, and c thelong slohwith its curved end, d, and\vhichslot constitutes my improvement. 1 The shuttle, in other respects,may be constructed in any of the well-known ways. t

In .theact of sewing, the operation is as follows: When the needle is atits highest-elevation, and tho shiittle in its farthest forwardposition, the -shuttl e thread is held in the extreme end of the curvedpart of the: slot, and this curve is so formed and located as withuuerring certainty to carry thethread back asthe shuttle starts toreturn, and so compel it to move back in the slot and from the race,andthe thread remains there "until carried back for enough to avoid thepoint of the needle,

Inasmuch as the strain is on the thread, the latter w'ould, if itemerged from a hole, as is customary, be drawn freer the bobbin in thefurther retreat of the shuttle, and make moreslack than is wanted, butwithmy peculiarly-shaped .slot, after the curved part/has performed itsimportant duty'yf'carrying the thread away from the needle, and out ofthe way of making a cross-stitch, the straight portion comes into actionat the appointed time, and allows 'the thrcad to run easily-and freelyback to the front end of theslot, and thus avoids the drawing of threadfrom the bobbin until it returns and tightens the stitch.

It will readily be seen that a hole for the thread, placed at or nearthe heel of the shuttle, could not accomplish thc-purpose, for thereasonthat it would draw thread from the bobbin at the wrong tinie,,i1amely,when the needle is down, instead of when the needle is up and the stitchis being tightened. I

Itwill also be seen that the form of slot frequently used in shuttlesfor the purpose of equalizing the ten sion and delivery of the thread asit leaves the bobbin, and which is made in the are of acirclo for thispurpose, cannot effect the result, attained by my peculiarly-formedslot.

I claim the slot in the shuttle, formed as, described, with a longportion, 0, and an abruptly-curved end,

d, and for the purpose set forth. 4 r

' NELSON'-LB. EVELAND.

Witnesses: V I

W. E. Srmosns, 4 E. MARVIN;

